55: Chapter 55 Tea Ceremony

["Yang Yan, what are you doing?"]

[Hearing the crying, a delicate shout suddenly came from outside the carriage. Right after, the curtain was violently pulled open, and a figure rushed inside.]

[Seeing your pitiable and miserable state, the newcomer stepped forward to shield you behind her, glaring angrily at the green-robed man.]

[You kept your eyes lowered while softly weeping, but your divine sense had already taken in everything around you.]

[The one who barged in was a young girl wearing a pink dress, with only a Qi Refining Layer 2 cultivation, her face still carrying a hint of childishness.]

[There were two other cultivators outside the carriage, both at the middle stage of Qi Refining. The green-robed man before you had the highest cultivation, but he barely reached Qi Refining Layer 7.]

["Youyou..."]

["Why are you always so paranoid? This girl is clearly a mortal. Just because she's pretty, you're trying to find fault with her time and time again?"]

[Before he could finish, the young girl let out a rapid barrage of questions, leaving the man temporarily speechless.]

["Brother Yang, you're being overly tense."]

[At this moment, an echoing voice came from outside the carriage as well.]

[The man was forced to swallow back the words at the tip of his tongue.]

[He wanted to say that it wasn't just that she was pretty, but her injuries were abnormal as well.]

[After a moment of silence, the man cupped his hands toward you.]

["My apologies, Miss. I was impetuous."]

[Only then did you stop crying, cautiously reaching out a hand to tug at the hem of the young girl's dress, whispering softly:]

["This... Sister, it's not the gentleman's fault. Qianqian just misses her father and mother."]

[You looked slightly older than the girl, but that call of "Sister" struck right at her heartstrings.]

[Seeing your face still pale, she hurriedly and carefully helped you lie down again, patted her modest chest, and said generously:]

["Don't worry, we won't stand by and let someone die."]

["Thank you, Sister~"]

[Without making a scene, you shifted your body to lean comfortably into the girl's arms, your bright eyes filled with complete trust.]

[Judging by the current situation, this girl's status was likely the most special. Securing her favor now would make it easier for you to act according to the circumstances later.]

[With a peerless beauty half-clothed and lying dependently in her arms, two suspicious blushes crept onto the girl's pretty face, and her lips quivered, unsure of what to say for a long while.]

[The carriage trotted forward at an unhurried pace, and evening soon arrived.]

[After some conversation, you had roughly figured out their background.]

[The few of them came from a city called Bailu City. The pink-dressed girl was named Bai Youyou, daughter of the city lord, while the other three were all the city lord's disciples.]

[The Jiuhuan Continent is divided into nine prefectures. Today, five prefectures are occupied by the human race, while four have fallen into the hands of the Demon Race. However, those remnant forces of the Monster Race are almost all cowering within human territory.]

[Among these five prefectures, more than half the territory of two prefectures is controlled by the Four Great Immortal Dynasties. Xuanhuang Prefecture is one of them, jointly ruled by the Tianfeng and Zixiao Dynasties.]

[As for forces within Xuanhuang territory like the Tianxuan Sword Sect and the Hehuan Sect, they were barely able to secure a foothold due to their deep foundations.]

[To put it more bluntly—the forces behind them offered enough benefits to the Immortal Dynasties.]

[Bailu City was just an extremely ordinary cultivator city under the rule of the Tianfeng Dynasty.]

["Sister, do you immortals also go out to do business?"]

[By the campfire, you blinked your harmless big eyes, nestling beside Bai Youyou with a face full of admiration.]

["Hehe~!"]

[The girl was already completely charmed by you. Putting on the air of a big boss, she reached out to rub your head and raised her nose to the sky, saying:]

["We didn't come out to do business, but rather..."]

["Youyou!"]

[Not far away, Yang Yan furrowed his brows and suddenly spoke up to interrupt.]

["Hmph!"]

[Bai Youyou let out a cold snort, but she stopped talking and didn't continue.]

[The atmosphere instantly froze. Your eyes flickered slightly, and the next moment, tears burst forth like a broken dam.]

["I'm sorry, Sister Bai. Did I... did I say something wrong?"]

["How could you? It's just that some things aren't convenient to talk about."]

[Hearing this, you sobbed even harder, gasping for breath as if you were about to pass away the next second.]

["Waaa~ I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask. I just remembered my father and mother... They were both killed by bandits while traveling for business..."]

[This heartbroken Bai Youyou immensely. Having grown up under the care of others, she deeply enjoyed the feeling of protecting someone, especially when that someone was an enchantingly charming beauty.]

[So she glared fiercely at the green-robed man nearby:]

["Yang Yan, apologize!"]

["No, please, it's all my fault. It has nothing to do with Young Master Yang."]

[You quickly reached out to stop her, but were pressed back into Bai Youyou's embrace.]

[The other two male cultivators looked at Yang Yan with strange expressions; after all, those two actually had a marriage engagement.]

[The green-robed man's face froze, his hands clenched tightly into fists inside his sleeves. But looking at Bai Youyou's unquestionable attitude, he felt aggrieved yet helpless.]

["I'm sorry."]

[After dropping that sentence, he stood up and walked straight toward the nearby river.]

["Sister Bai, Young Master Yang..."]

["Don't mind him. He acts as if the whole world revolves around him."]

[Bai Youyou snorted softly, but you keenly sensed an unusual atmosphere between the two of them.]

[At this moment, the corner of your eye caught sight of one of the burly male cultivators by the campfire subtly sizing you up. You curled your red lips slightly and quieted down.]

[The night deepened.]

[You and Bai Youyou were arranged to rest in the carriage, while the other three took turns standing night watch.]

[Your divine sense was far superior to everyone present, so every move outside the carriage was within your perception.]

[When Yang Yan went into meditation and the male cultivator with ill intentions climbed a nearby knoll, you glanced sideways at the sleeping girl beside you, shifted your body, and silently melted into the night.]

["Crack~"]

[A crisp sound echoed in the darkness.]

[Just as the man was about to raise an alarm, he noticed a slender figure walking toward him from below the knoll.]

["Miss Qianqian?"]

[He instinctively lowered his voice.]

["Ah~"]

[You gasped first, then gazed up at him for a moment before slowly patting your chest. Stepping up to him, you curtsied slightly in greeting.]

["So it is Young Master Zhao Yue~"]

[*Gulp~"]

[The subtle sound of swallowing was particularly clear in the quiet night.]

[Yet you acted as though you hadn't heard it. Only after receiving no response for a long while did you raise your head to look at the man.]

[...This fellow was actually staring dazed at your chest.]

[Useless trash!]

[You cursed secretly in your heart.]

[But in the next second, a blush crept onto your cheeks at a speed visible to the naked eye. Glaring at him flirtatiously, you said in a sweet voice:]

["Young Master Zhao, what are you looking at~"]

[Under the moonlight, Zhao Yue felt as if he saw an alluring vixen extending a warm invitation to him...]

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